As a native Durangatang and multi-time state champion in both road and mountain bike racing (and a proud lifelong wearer of so-called “spandex”) I take first-world-problem offense at recent San Francisco to Bayfield transplant Robert “Han” Bishop’s perspective (Herald, April 25) that E-bikes are not dangerous on Durango’s Animas River Trail. They are.

Our precious river trail includes large sections of unmarked, narrow buckled surfaces and outdated sight lines which makes electrically-powered cycles driven by both young and elderly cyclists a recipe for disaster.

Han cites his prior city and European cities that have evolved into cycling-friendly metros to support his green light to allowing E-bikes on Durango’s trail. At the first city council general public meeting on e-bikes I advised, “Go slow, our infrastructure must be sound.”

See, “Han” is right: Cycling and e-cycling are so beautifully integrated within European metro districts that by 2019 Oslo, Norway has committed to making their city center car-free! Oslo! Imagine downtown Durango car-free. My 9-year-old daughter would love it, as would I.

But Durango’s not the San Francisco Bay Area. Or Europe. Unleash an elder population with limited kinesthetic and physiologic fitness onto the current status of the River Trail, say, behind the Powerhouse Science Center and the fire station, and you’ll get broken collarbones, frequent pedestrian/tourist/dog/e-bike strife and accidents.

Build the infrastructure first. Then add e-bikes.

Steve Ilg

Durango